I took a bit of a gamble and bought a watch off eBay for £50. The listing had such blurry photos nothing was at all clear but it looked like a curvex style case and the seller accepts returns so I took a punt.

It arrived today and I need some advice. My limited internet searching would suggest to me that this is a R17.8 movement. The case is engraved with a message on the back but there are no omega markings anywhere on the case. There is a long number on the case back but nothing else. To my eyes it also looks the the case back in which the movement sits has been adjusted to fit the movement.

The watch is completely non running and is missing the small seconds hand. My guess is that the movement and dial have been recased and this is not an omega case at all.

I am interested to hear what people with a deeper knowledge of vintage omega watches can make of this. Also how hard and expensive is it going to be to get this up and running? should I keep it and fix it up or send it back? Thoughts and opinions will be gratefully received.

P.s. sorry for the shoddy pictures

 

Based on the fact that you paid in pounds I guess you're in the UK.

For many years, Omega movements were imported into the UK and cased by various companies, primarily ALD (Dennison), but also by others.

Hard to tell from those pics, but what is the case made of, solid gold? plated? Any hallmarks?

Proper pictures would help a lot.

 

Don’t know where you sit in getting it up and running, but I do know that any curvex is very, very desirable and it being an Omega is that much better! Nice score. Hopefully it’s an original mvt. Is it gold filled, which in itself isn’t horrible compared to plated, just not as desirable as solid. Hopefully it’s the original mvt. I used to collect vintage watches of this era and the cases weren’t usually marked with the maker, sometimes they had a jewelers mark that might mean something to an expert?

 

Yes this is gold filled. I think though that the watch is a Franken. The movement is a omega 310 and the movement serial number places it being manufactured in the late 1940s. The case however has watch makers marking suggesting a service in the 1930s. This suggests to me that the watch has had a movement swap at some point. The number on the case back would correspond according to online search tools as being from the 1930s. I wonder if at some point the owner damaged the watch and had a new movement fitted for some reason. Or it has been cobbled together with spare parts at some point. Either way it looks great, I will enjoy wearing it and it didn't cost much so I will be sending it off to try and get it running. Thanks for all the info so far!

 

The case looks like a hack job. This is the inside of a case properly fitting a caliber R17.8/3xx movement.

 

I agree entirely with this. The aperture in the case looks badly hand cut.